Teesmouth Bird Club Newsletter August 2018 (No.70) Reg.Charity No.508850 CONTENTS Monthly Summaries 1 MONTHLY SUMMARIES CBTO News 7 With no replacement volunteer having come National seabird Census 7 forward, Chris Sharp reviews the birding Partial Repeat of CBBS 8 highlights of the spring and summer* periods News from the Committee 8 MARCH 2018-JUNE 2018 Local Outings, August to December 2018 9 MARCH 2018 TBC Evening Meetings 10 Book Review 10 New School Feeding station 11 English Coastal Path progress 12 New wetland for Cowpen Marsh 12 Titbits 14 WeBS Summary 2017/8 16 WeBS Summary Spring 2018 17 TBC Publications 19 Fieldfare and Redwing, garden Mike Tucker The TBC Newsletter is published three times a year. Compilation and layout Eric James, distribution Chris Sharp, The bitterly cold weather early in the month saw web download Jamie Duffie. many reports of Redwings, Fieldfares and Any material for inclusion in the Newsletter is welcome. Please Woodcock in urban gardens. Sadly there was little send contributions to [email protected] or by post to Eric James, 7 Hilderthorpe, Nunthorpe, Middlesbrough TS7 cold weather movement at the coast and as in the 0PT preceding few months many observers commented on the relative scarcity of sea ducks, divers and grebes. Eric James Teesmouth now has nationally significant numbers of Avocets (see page 17). Glaucous Gull, Windermere Road, Hartlepool Ian Forrest A Little Gull and a Puffin were in the river mouth on 2nd. A single Brent Goose was around RSPB Saltholme from 3rd. A Glaucous Gull was at Hartlepool on 4th. A fine drake Smew was at Wynyard 4th to 6th. The Green-winged Teal 1 reappeared at RSPB Saltholme on 5th. The first Hawfinches also continued to be seen around returning Avocets were on Greenabella on this Hutton Lowcross and Skelton. Mid-month proved date. to be quiet but a Slavonian Grebe was off Newburn on 13th and off North Gare the following day. A Little Gull was off Redcar on 17th, and Avocet numbers reached 30 at Salterns on this date. Green-winged Teal, Saltholme Tim Robinson A Bittern was at RSPB Saltholme on 7th. One or two Marsh Harriers continued to be seen around the North Tees Marshes at this time. Barn Owls were also in evidence from South Gare and Liverton Moor. This species continues to increase in numbers in Cleveland. Little Gull, Saltholme Ian Forrest Single Little Gulls were at South Gare and Saltholme Pools on 18th and Avocets increased to 73. Up to 50 Twite were still to be seen at Seaton Snook. Slavonian Grebes were at Newburn and Saltburn on 24th. The same day saw a fine male Black Redstart at Bowesfield. The first Sand Martin was at RSPB Saltholme on 26th. A drake Red-crested Pochard was at Wilton Lake the following day. The first Little Ringed Plover was at Scaling on 29th with the first Wheatear at South Gare also. Six Whooper Swans were over RSPB Saltholme on 30th Spotted Redshank, Salterns Ian Forrest APRIL 2018 The wintering Greenshank and Spotted Redshank Two Black Redstarts were at Skinningrove on 1st remained around Greatham Creek. The two long twith another at South Gare. Numbers increased staying Scaup were also still to be found on the to four at Skinningrove by 3rd with a further river at Bowesfield. A Red Kite was over single at Hummersea. The first Swallows were at Lockwood on 8th. RSPB Saltholme on 3rd. An Osprey was at Scaling on this date with a Brent Goose on the Town Moor at Hartlepool. The run of Black Redstarts continued with singles at Scaling on 4th and Hunley Hall on 5th. Two adult Mediterranean Gulls at RSPB Saltholme amongst the Black-headed Gull colony on 4th raised hopes of a potential breeding pair but sadly they moved on quickly. Another Osprey was over Guisborough on 6th. A ring Ouzel was at South Gare and the first Willow Warbler was heard singing. A showy Firecrest was at Huntcliff on 7th. Nearby five Ring Ouzels were at their usual spot at Hummersea and an Osprey flew over Cowbar. Highlight of the day was the six Common Cranes Hawfinch, Hutton Lowcross Neil Simms which flew over RSPB Saltholme. They got as far 2 as Seaton Carew before turning around and The following day two more Common Cranes flew headed back south over South Gare. Two over RSPB Saltholme and a White Stork flew over Garganey and a Yellow Wagtail at Saltholme Fens Estate, Hartlepool. There were five Ring meant spring had certainly arrived on this day. Ouzels at Warsett Hill and a passage of adult The good run of birds continued the following day Little Gulls on the North Tees Marshes saw up to with a Spoonbill and four Egyptian Geese at RSPB 31 birds at RSPB Saltholme. Saltholme. A Red Kite also flew over here. A Ruff and 39 Black-tailed Godwits were at RSPB Another Firecrest was at Hunley Hall. A pair of Saltholme on16th. Ospreys were over Scaling and Mandarin at Bowesfield from 9th proved popular. Middlesbrough. A Red Kite flew towards Scaling A showy Great Northern Diver was in Paddy’s the following day from Freeborough Hill. Hole at South Gare on10th. It was joined by an equally showy Black-necked Grebe the following Two summer plumaged Black-necked Grebes day. Both birds proved popular with the local were at RSPB Saltholme on 18th. The following photographers. day they were joined by a fine drake Ring-necked Duck. The first Tree Pipit was at Boulby and there were four Whimbrel on Cowpen Marsh. A Hooded Crow flew past Hunley Hall on 20th. A Nuthatch was also here; a rare coastal visitor. The 21st saw Common Tern at RSPB Saltholme and Cuckoo at Scaling. The summer visitors kept arriving with Redstart and Swift seen the following day. A Great White Egret was also seen briefly on Seaton Common before departing. Two Garganey were on Cowpen Marsh on 23rd. Great Northern Diver, Paddy’s Hole Mike Tucker The same site held an impressive 28 White Wagtails on 25th. Another Red Kite was over Hemlington on 26th. The Ring-necked Duck re- appeared at the Allotment Pool on 27th and remained here until the end of the month. Two Whinchats were at South Gare on 27th. Black-necked Grebe, South Gare Rob Young The Spoonbill was still at RSPB Saltholme on 13th with the first Reed Warbler also present. A Firecrest was at South Gare on 14th. Even rarer here was a Willow Tit in the same bush and thought to be the first record for the Gare. Two ring Ouzels were also here with a further two at Hunley Hall along with Common whitethroat. A Great white Egret was also on Greenabella. Black Redstart, Skinningrove Neil Simms Black Redstart, South Gare Ian Watson Common Cranes, Saltholme Ian Forrest 3 was un-ringed and if accepted as a wild bird will represent the first Cleveland record of this Trans Atlantic vagrant. It was only present for the one day. A Wood Sandpiper was on Seaton Common 7th to 8th and the Ring-necked Duck remained around the Allotment Pond. Firecrest, South Gare Ian Watson Ring-necked Duck, Saltholme Ian Forrest Willow Tit, South Gare Ian Watson Marsh Harrier, Dorman’s Pool Ian Madisson Up to three Marsh Harriers were around Dorman’s Pool on 9th. Two Garganey were at Albert Park on this date; an unusual location for this species. A Raven was reported from Lockwood on 10th. Ring Ouzel, South Gare Ian Watson MAY 2018 Temminck’s Stint, Saltholme Ian Forrest A Spoonbill was at Dorman’s Pool on 12th. A Temminck’s Stint on Back Saltholme on 12th was the first of a series of records from this location Hooded Merganser, Seaton Common Derek Clayton until 23rd. Two birds were seen on several dates Both Garden Warbler and Redstart were at but on some days no birds were present. Hartlepool on 2nd. A Hooded Crow flew past A Great Northern Diver was on the sea off Warsett Hill on 3rd and a Curlew Sandpiper was Hartlepool on 13th. A lull in mid-month was at RSPB Saltholme on 4th. A Spotted Flycatcher relieved on 18th with another Spoonbill at was at Hunley Hall on 5th. Greatham Creek with two present the following day. Red Kites were over Ingleby and Scaling on Perhaps the highlight of the spring was on Seaton 19th. A Bee-eater was reported over South Gare Common on 6th. A somewhat elusive first-year on 20th. Both Scaup and Arctic Tern were at male Hooded Merganser was present mainly RSPB Saltholme on 23rd. sticking to the series of ditches in the area. It 4 Quail ,Hartlepool Headland Ian Watson A small fall of migrants at Hartlepool on 24th saw both Lesser Whitethroat and Spotted Flycatcher. Eastern Subalpine Warbler, South Gare Brian Clasper The best bird however was a Common Rosefinch which was also present the following day. The JUNE2018 next few days saw a few more migrant passerines at the coast with four Redstarts at Hartlepool on 26th along with single Whinchat and Pied Flycatcher. An Osprey also was over here This proved to be a particularly productive period in Cleveland. A superb male Red-backed Shrike was at Cowpen Marsh and a Marsh Warbler sang briefly at Hummersea. A Nuthatch was an unusual visitor to Hartlepool headland on 27th and a Black Tern was at RSPB Saltholme on this date. Pink-footed Goose, Saltholme Ian Forrest A few Little Gulls were on the North Tees Marshes early in the month with three on Tidal Pool on 3rd.